stay

[ stey ]

/ steɪ /

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See synonyms for: stay / staid / stayed / staying on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), stayed or staid, stay·ing.

to spend some time in a place, in a situation, with a person or group, etc.: He stayed in the army for ten years.

to continue to be as specified, as to condition or state: to stay clean.

to hold out or endure, as in a contest or task (followed by with or at): Please stay with the project as long as you can.

to keep up, as with a competitor (followed by with).

Poker. to continue in a hand by matching an ante, bet, or raise.

to stop or halt.

to pause or wait, as for a moment, before proceeding or continuing; linger or tarry.

Archaic. to cease or desist.

Archaic. to stand firm.

verb (used with object), stayed or staid, stay·ing.

to stop or halt.

to hold back, detain, or restrain, as from going further.

to suspend or delay (actions, proceedings, etc.).

to appease or satisfy temporarily the cravings of (the stomach, appetite, etc.).

to remain through or during (a period of time): We stayed two days in San Francisco.

to remain to the end of; remain beyond (usually followed by out).

Archaic. to await.

noun

the act of stopping or being stopped.

a stop, halt, or pause; a standstill.

a sojourn or temporary residence: a week's stay in Miami.

Law. a stoppage or arrest of action; suspension of a judicial proceeding: The governor granted a stay of execution.

Informal. staying power; endurance.

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Idioms about stay

stay the course, to persevere; endure to completion.

Origin of stay

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English staien, from Anglo-French estaier, Old French ester, from Latin stāre “to stand, stand up, be standing, stand in attendance”; see origin at stand

Words nearby stay

stave off, staves, stavesacre, Stavropol, staw, stay, stay-at-home, staybolt, staycation, stayer, staying power

Other definitions for stay (2 of 3)

stay²

[ stey ]

/ steɪ /

noun

something used to support or steady a thing; prop; brace.

a flat strip of steel, plastic, etc., used especially for stiffening corsets, collars, etc.

a long rod running between opposite walls, heads or sides of a furnace, boiler, tank, or the like, to strengthen them against internal pressures.

stays, Chiefly British. a corset.

verb (used with object), stayed, stay·ing.

to support, prop, or hold up (sometimes followed by up).

to sustain or strengthen mentally or spiritually.

to rest on (something, as a foundation or base) for support.

to cause something to become fixed or to rest on (a support, foundation, base, etc.)

Origin of stay

First recorded in 1505–15; apparently same as stay³ (compare Old French estayer “to hold in place, support”), or perhaps derivative of Middle English steye “rope to steady a mast”; see stay³

Other definitions for stay (3 of 3)

stay³

[ stey ]

/ steɪ /

Chiefly Nautical

noun

any of various strong ropes or wires for steadying masts, funnels, etc.

verb (used with object), stayed, stay·ing.

to support or secure with a stay or stays: to stay a mast.

to put (a ship) on the other tack.

verb (used without object), stayed, stay·ing.

(of a ship) to change to the other tack.

Origin of stay

First recorded before 1150; Middle English stai, stey(e), Old English stæg; cognate with German Stag, Dutch stag, Old Norse stag

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use stay in a sentence

The reports illustrate relative change, not absolute visitors or duration of stay.
See how visits to retail, grocery, workplaces are trending by area with Google Mobility Reports|George Nguyen|August 27, 2020|Search Engine Land
The package includes up to five nights of accommodation at one of MGM’s Las Vegas-based properties and comes with an “office-ready” room and an executive assistant tasked with ensuring you have “everything you need during your stay.”
A new place to WFH: Las Vegas|Michal Lev-Ram, writer|August 25, 2020|Fortune
Lisa Russell said her 93-year-old mother regressed physically and mentally during a nearly month-long stay in early 2020 at The Springs at Pacific Regent, located in La Jolla.
Confirmed Nursing Home Complaints Plummet During Pandemic|Jared Whitlock|August 25, 2020|Voice of San Diego
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer waded into the fray this week, by signing onto a letter along with San Jose’s mayor, urging the court to grant the stay.
Sacramento Report: San Diego Bills Survive Bad Day for Housing Proposals|Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby|August 21, 2020|Voice of San Diego

“A stay could provide an opportunity for parties to come together with state leaders to negotiate a resolution to this complex issue,” Faulconer and Liccardo wrote.
Morning Report: Throwing Cold Water on Those Sports Arena Plans|Voice of San Diego|August 20, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Models in Israel will have to maintain a BMI of 18.5 or higher if they want to stay employed.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Ney said McDonnell needs to “keep a stiff lip” and stay in close contact with family members.
Abramoff’s Advice for Virginia’s New Jailhouse Guv|Tim Mak, Jackie Kucinich|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“He has to really stay on the down low, he has to make sure that he blends in,” Ney told the Beast.
Abramoff’s Advice for Virginia’s New Jailhouse Guv|Tim Mak, Jackie Kucinich|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Their leader, Njie, still going by “Dave” during the operation, would stay a safe distance away until the State House was secure.
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country|Jacob Siegel|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Higher courts, including the Supreme Court had refused to intercede, and the stay was to expire tonight.
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over|Jay Michaelson|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He decided not to return home directly; he wanted to go somewhere, but did not care to stay in Chicago.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux
This tiny person spent little or none of his time in the tree-tops, but chose to stay near the ground.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
If we find him there as Rutter said, you can gamble that trouble has camped in our dooryard for a lengthy stay.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
Now that Lawrence was out of the army, he was in hopes that he would stay out, and he showed his disappointment in his face.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
He gets out and does things while these fatheads stay in quarters and untangle red tape.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for stay (1 of 3)

stay¹

/ (steɪ) /

verb

(intr) to continue or remain in a certain place, position, etcto stay outside

(copula) to continue to be; remainto stay awake

(intr often foll by at) to reside temporarily, esp as a guestto stay at a hotel

(tr) to remain for a specified periodto stay the weekend

(intr) Scot and Southern African to reside permanently or habitually; live

archaic to stop or cause to stop

(intr) to wait, pause, or tarry

(tr) to delay or hinder

(tr)

to discontinue or suspend (a judicial proceeding)
to hold in abeyance or restrain from enforcing (an order, decree, etc)

to endure (something testing or difficult, such as a race)a horse that stays the course

(intr; usually foll by with) to keep pace (with a competitor in a race, etc)

(intr) poker to raise one's stakes enough to stay in a round

(tr) to hold back or restrainto stay one's anger

(tr) to satisfy or appease (an appetite, etc) temporarily

(tr) archaic to quell or suppress

(intr) archaic to stand firm

stay put See put (def. 18)

noun

the act of staying or sojourning in a place or the period during which one stays

the act of stopping or restraining or state of being stopped, etc

the suspension of a judicial proceeding, etcstay of execution

Word Origin for stay

C15 staien, from Anglo-French estaier, to stay, from Old French ester to stay, from Latin stāre to stand

British Dictionary definitions for stay (2 of 3)

stay²

/ (steɪ) /

noun

anything that supports or steadies, such as a prop or buttress

a thin strip of metal, plastic, bone, etc, used to stiffen corsets, etc

verb (tr) archaic

(often foll by up) to prop or hold

(often foll by up) to comfort or sustain

(foll by on or upon) to cause to rely or depend

Word Origin for stay

C16: from Old French estaye, of Germanic origin; compare stay ³

British Dictionary definitions for stay (3 of 3)

stay³

/ (steɪ) /

noun

a rope, cable, or chain, usually one of a set, used for bracing uprights, such as masts, funnels, flagpoles, chimneys, etc; guySee also stays (def. 2), stays (def. 3)

Word Origin for stay

Old English stæg; related to Old Norse stag, Middle Low German stach, Norwegian stagle wooden post

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with stay

stay

In addition to the idioms beginning with stay

staying power
stay over
stay put
stay the course
stay with

also see:

here to stay
(stay) in touch
(stay on one's) right side
should have stood (stayed) in bed
stick (stay) with

stay

Idioms about stay

Origin of stay

Words nearby stay

Other definitions for stay (2 of 3)

Origin of stay

Other definitions for stay (3 of 3)

Origin of stay

Words related to stay

How to use stay in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stay (1 of 3)

Word Origin for stay

British Dictionary definitions for stay (2 of 3)

Word Origin for stay

British Dictionary definitions for stay (3 of 3)

Word Origin for stay

Other Idioms and Phrases with stay